It Isn't Over
by Daleyza
Summary: Kinsey and AJ were high school sweethearts, but things came to a very bitter end. After twenty-one long years, the two are brought back together after the death of a good friend. They are both leading different lives, but the feelings that they have both suppressed are coming back. What they both thought was over, may not be over at all. Pairings: AJxOC, SethxSasha
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** Hello dear readers! This is my first fanfic here on Fanfiction, I really hope you enjoy it. This story is entirely **AU** , I'm only using characters of the WWE. Please feel free to message me, leave a review, follow, or favorite my story. I'm going to do my best to update every Sunday/Monday until this story reaches it's completion. Also, I apologize for any typos or grammar errors you may come across. This story was inspired by Nicholas Sparks 'The Best of Me' so you will see similarities. Thank you for reading!

 **Summary:** Kinsey and AJ were high school sweethearts, but things came to a very bitter end. After twenty-one long years, the two are brought back together after the death of a good friend. They are both leading different lives, but the feelings that they have both suppressed are coming back. What they both thought was over, may not be over at all.

* * *

 **Chapter One**

Kinsey Tate sat outside on her front porch, using the tips of her toes to swing the chair-swing back and forth. The hooks drilled into the ceiling creaked with each move, but she hardly noticed as she gazed up at the clear sky that glittered with a thousand stars. A symphony of crickets chirped away that summer night, but despite it being midsummer, the weather was quite pleasant.

She was daydreaming, completely lost in her thoughts and it wasn't until her scruffy yellow mutt licked her toes that she realized the phone was ringing. Stopping the swing, Kinsey got to her feet and then opened up the screen door and jogged down the hall to kitchen where her cell phone was buzzing and ringing. It wasn't a number she recognized, but she answered.

"Hello?" Kinsey placed the phone to her ear and turned around to lean against the granite counter.

"Is this Kinsey Malloy?" a man asked on the other line.

She raised a brow. "Uh, it's Kinsey Tate now, but yes."

"My apologies, Mrs. Tate," the man said and cleared his throat. "My name is Andrew Whitfield, I'm calling to inform you that a friend of yours, Jack Henderson, passed away this morning."

A sharp pain ripped through Kinsey's heart. She covered her mouth with her free hand and shook her head. "What happened?"

"Heart attack, he was eighty-nine years old."

Kinsey looked up at the white ceiling of her kitchen. This was the last call she had expected for the evening. It had been many years since she had spoken with Jack Henderson, at least eight years. And the last time they spoke wasn't under the best circumstances.

"Mr. Henderson has a request for you in his will," Andrew explained. "I'm his attorney, and have an office on the other side of town. Perhaps we can schedule a meeting, in the next day or so?"

Kinsey took in a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. There were many memories bubbling back up. A closet of dusty skeletons that were tumbling out. Jack Henderson was a good man, a wonderful friend, and as corny as it sounded, a true light in such a dark world. It was a tragedy that he was gone and that she never got to say goodbye to the old timer.

"Mrs. Tate? Are you still there?" Andrew asked after her long silence.

Kinsey pulled herself together and raked her fingers through her dark brown hair. "Yes, sir. Sorry, it's just really…I'm very surprised that he would have me in his will."

"I see."

"It's been a long time since I've seen Jack. He was a good…no, he was a great man." Kinsey smiled weakly and felt the sting of tears in her eyes. She held them back though, not wanting to sob on the phone.

"I'm so sorry for your loss, Mrs. Tate."

"Thank you," she replied and pushed away from the counter, making her way to the cupboard to get a glass for some water. "I'm available to come to your office on Friday morning, is that okay?" Friday morning was the day after tomorrow.

"That would be great, how would 10:00am work?"

"I can make that," Kinsey said as she turned on the faucet. When her glass was full she shut it off and took a quick sip. "May I have your address?" She opened up her junk drawer and pulled out a pen and notepad. Andrew told her his office address and bid her a good evening before they hung up.

She stared at the address on the paper for a few moments before walking away. Andrew Whitfield's office was two blocks down from Maybelle's Creamery, a place that she frequented often with another long lost friend.

The lights of a car pulling into the driveway shone through the living room's bay windows. The lights cut off moments later along with the rumbling engine. Kinsey walked into the living room and peaked out the blinds to find her husband, Nathan Tate, sitting in the driver seat, staring blankly at the steering wheel of his red Camry.

He did this every night when he came home from work for the past three weeks-pull into the driveway and just sit in his car for ten to fifteen minutes. Kinsey hadn't said anything to him about it, she just ignored it. Bringing it up would only make matters worse. He would deny he did it, then tell her to mind her business, and then storm upstairs. Their marriage hadn't always been so cold and rough, at one time there was love. But that was a long time ago.

Kinsey walked out of the living room and started up the stairs. She placed her hand on the smooth mahogany railing and jogged up without a second thought. When she reached the top, she looked to the farthest door on the right. Kinsey sighed and shook her head, making her way down to the left. She entered the master bedroom and went straight into the bathroom to her closet. Pulling a step stool out, Kinsey climbed up and grabbed the pink hat box tucked into the far corner on the top shelf.

She stepped down and then sat on the stool. Opening up the lid, Kinsey stared at the various little trinkets and photographs from a time she had tried to forget. She picked up one of the pictures, a Polaroid from her high school days. Jack had taken the picture twenty-one years ago. Kinsey was in a lovely white dress with her hair in spiraled curls and sparkles in her eyes as she gazed lovingly at her high school sweetheart. They had an epic and beautiful romance, and nothing broke her heart more than when he left.

He was so handsome with blue eyes that rivaled the summer sky and a smile that could lift even the saddest of spirits. Kinsey couldn't believe how long it had been since she had seen heard from him. A tear dropped onto the picture, and Kinsey stifled a laugh as she wipe away the tears with the back of her hand. When she licked her lips, she tasted the saltiness and closed her eyes.

"How are you doing now, AJ?" Kinsey asked when she looked back at the picture and rubbed her thumb over his bright smile.

"Kinsey! I'm home!" Nathan hollered followed by the slam of the screen door and the clicking of Marty's nails.

She quickly put the picture back in the hat box and pushed it onto the top shelf. Closing the door of the closet, Kinsey looked at herself in the mirror. It hadn't looked like she had been crying, so she fluffed up her hair and walked to the stairwell.

"Who's Andrew Whitfield?" Nathan asked, as she was coming down the stairs.

Kinsey entered the kitchen. "He's an attorney. A friend of mine passed away, so he asked if I could come in. There's something in the will about me."

Nathan raised a brow. "Who's this friend?"

"His name was Jack Henderson," Kinsey replied with a small shrug. "Friend of the family." It was a lie, but she didn't want to travel down memory lane with Nathan. He wasn't the same man he was when they first met. Ever since their son, Ethan, passed away it was like Nathan could never be happy. Nathan was always frustrated and angry and short with Kinsey and their ten-year-old, Lauren, who was away at a horseback riding camp until Sunday.

"Hmm." Nathan nodded and started loosening his tie. "Is there any dinner?"

Kinsey fought the urge to roll her eyes. He didn't have a single care that a friend of hers had passed away. It was just business as usual, and Kinsey didn't want tonight to be the same. She wanted some form of comfort from him, but perhaps that was asking too much. "Yeah, it's in the microwave."

"All right, well I'm gonna shower and then I'll eat." He left the room without a kiss or a hug.

Kinsey clutched the edge of the granite counter and sucked in a sharp breath. Nathan was just like that, he wouldn't even talk about it. She had tried many times, but he would snap and storm out of the house. This wasn't the marriage she wanted.

* * *

-#-

* * *

AJ Styles sat alone in the gym. Everyone had gone home for the evening. It was eight o'clock on the dot when his cell phone started buzzing beside him. He glanced down and raised a brow at the unfamiliar number. His first instinct was to ignore it as it was probably some salesperson, but when he looked at the area code again…it was from Georgia. By that point, his instinct was to chuck the phone across the gym and into the concrete wall. There was nothing left for him in Georgia, but against his better judgement AJ picked up the phone and put it to his ear.

"This is AJ." He hopped down from the apron and started walking toward the locker rooms.

"Mr. Styles my name is Andrew Whitfield and I'm an attorney here in Kingsland."

AJ stopped halfway to the locker room. "Can I help you?"

"I'm sorry to say, but Jack Henderson passed away this morning."

AJ pinched the bridge of his nose. It had been a long time since he'd heard that name. Jack was like a father to him when he was younger, and when AJ left Kingsland when he was eighteen he never saw Jack again. They called each other once in awhile, but the last time had been twelve or thirteen years ago.

"That's terrible," AJ said finally. "Is there a funeral?"

"He has a request for you in his will. I was hoping you would be able to come here, so we may discuss it."

No. That was the only answer he wanted to say, and AJ felt so guilty. His stomach churned and his limbs felt weak. Jack deserved more than that. AJ had to go, he couldn't pretend that Jack hadn't turned his life around. Running his fingers through his hair, AJ cleared his throat and said, "When?"

"Do you think you could be here on Friday at 10:00am?" Andrew asked.

Kingsland wasn't a long drive away—a little over three hours from Tallahassee. "I'll be there," AJ said and made his way to the office up on the second floor. "Tell me your address." After he got the address, he thanked Andrew and hung up the phone.

AJ grabbed the rolling computer chair behind him and plopped down in it. Jack Henderson was dead. It was unbelievable. But he was an old man, he was old when they first met when he was a seventeen-year-old loser with a drunk for a father and a drug-selling younger brother. Things had been going well for AJ for the last ten years. He was making something of himself, and the only person who ever believed in him was Jack. And what did AJ have to give back to Jack? He should have gone back. There were so many chances for him to go back to Kingsland and visit even if it was only for a day. But it was too late now, so AJ had to see what Jack had left for him. Maybe it was a letter of how disappointed he was…he couldn't be sure.

Turning the chair around, AJ looked at the beaten up black filing cabinet. In the bottom drawer there was an old tin box, inside that box were five precious items that he could never seem to let go of. AJ scooted the rolling chair toward the filing cabinet and pulled the drawer open. It screeched and reminded him he needed to grease a lot of the hinges around the gym. His blue eyes landed on the tin box that was scratched, dented, and rusted. Clicking his tongue, AJ sat back and wanted to push the drawer closed with his foot. Something stopped him though, he wasn't sure what it was, but he grabbed the tin box and smiled.

"Damnit," AJ chuckled as he pulled out a picture. It was a little crinkled and faded, but it was the picture of the perfect day. Jack wasn't the only person AJ had left behind in Kingsland. He left Kinsey behind, the girl who stole his heart. After all these years, she still had a piece of it. AJ didn't know what it meant to be loved or to love someone until Kinsey came along. And everyday since he left her, AJ never stopped thinking about what she was doing now.

He put the picture down on his thigh and pulled out tickets from his prom. AJ licked his lips and grabbed a shot glass, the same one that Jack gave him the first night they met. Putting the glass on the desk, AJ grabbed an old napkin with Kinsey's handwriting 'I love you, AJ' with a little heart beneath it. The final item in the tin box was a little army toy soldier, the green one, one that AJ gave to his younger brother when they were little kids.

"Guess I'm going home," AJ said in a low voice as he put the items back into the tin box.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note:** I thought I'd go ahead and do an update since I had this chapter ready, next chapter will be on Sunday. Thank you for reading, leave a review and tell me what you think. Thanks to everyone who has followed and added this story to their favorites.

* * *

 **Chapter Two**

Kinsey pushed away from her computer desk and then stood. She stretched her arms above her head and walked out into her shop. It was nothing special, just a little store that fit somewhere between antique and craft store. Kinsey had always been the artsy type of girl. Flower arranging, scrapbooking, photography, and piano were some of her most beloved hobbies. Her true talent, however lied in drawing and painting. It was her truest escape and she did it as often as she could. For a while after her son passed away, Kinsey couldn't bare to paint or draw a single thing, but then Lauren found some of her old sketch books in the storage closet beneath the stairs in their home. It sparked her desire to draw again.

"I brought you a chai latte from La Roux," Rachel Montgomery said, holding out a clear plastic travel cop with a red straw. "You've been very quiet today, is everything all right?"

Kinsey smiled and took the beverage from her longtime friend and coworker. She was blonde, green-eyed, had the cutest button nose, and had the best fashion sense. Rachel and Kinsey met in seventh grade and had been inseparable ever since. They were meant to be sisters. "I'm fine, Rach."

"You know what 'I'm fine' sounds like coming from you?" Rachel asked before taking a sip of her own tea.

"No, but I'm sure you'll tell me." Kinsey walked to the register counter and sat on the cushioned bar stool.

"It sounds like 'I'm in desperate need of a mani-pedi and lots of red wine because my husband is a jack-ass'," Rachel said with a smile and batted her long lashes.

"Wow, you sure do get a lot out of two simple words." Kinsey shook her head and sipped on her tea. The day had been rather slow, but it was also only 10:15 am. People would be sure to mosey in around lunch time.

"Kinsey." Rachel placed her drink down on the counter and stared at her friend. It was that worried mother hen look that Rachel had somehow mastered in tenth grade when Michael Worvath dared Kinsey to play seven-minutes in heaven with him. It was bad because Michael was a senior and had a girlfriend, who just happened to be the head cheerleader at their school.

"Rachel." Kinsey didn't want to talk about it. She wanted to get through today, so she could deal with the attorney tomorrow and then mourn over the weekend and then things would go back to normal when Lauren was home. They would bake some chocolate chip cookies and she would tell all her horseback riding camp adventures.

"I can tell when you aren't happy, and you, Mrs. Tate haven't been happy for nearly a month and it looks like it's getting worse." Rachel rested her arms on the counter and leaned forward. She lowered her head to catch Kinsey's pretty hazel eyes. "You don't talk to me anymore, I'm getting worried."

There it was again, the worried mother hen look. Her eyes would get sad, her lips would have the slightest downward curve, her eyebrows would scrunch just a little, and she'd tilt her head slightly to the left. Kinsey straightened on the stool and smiled warmly. "I just miss Lauren."

"It's not just that," Rachel sighed and then shook her head. "It's Nathan, isn't it? What's going on between you two? I thought things were getting better."

Kinsey fought the urge to let out a snarky laugh. Nathan was bitter and upset and frustrated. And she understood that for a while, but he was just so selfish only caring about himself and his job. Nothing else mattered except for golf tournaments and the price of oil. He was an oil buyer, who lived on his phone. Nathan made lots of money, more than enough that Kinsey had been able to turn her hobby into her job. After she had Lauren, Kinsey opened up her store 'Southern Charm' and it had been wonderful. They had the perfect life, two beautiful kids, a nice house, and they were in love…and then the accident happened. Kinsey stared blankly at the counter and quietly sipped on her tea. The day that Ethan died, Nathan was never the same.

"Jack Henderson passed away yesterday." Kinsey was sad about his death, but he was only a small part of why she had been quiet all morning. The real reason was that Nathan didn't even seem to care that someone she knew and cared about was gone.

Rachel gasped and placed a hand on her chest. "Oh honey," she said softly and came around the counter to hug Kinsey. "I'm so sorry."

Kinsey stayed silent and hugged her friend back. She wanted Rachel to drop the Nathan thing, Kinsey just really didn't want to talk about him and their problems.

* * *

-#-

* * *

AJ stood beside the wrestling ring and watched as one of his student's practiced his bumps on the ropes. He nodded his head and waved for the teen to come down. The black haired boy slipped through the ropes and jumped onto the mats around the ring.

"You're doing really good," AJ said as he clapped him on the shoulder. "I think next week you'll be ready to do some basic moves. How does that sound, Jake?"

"Sounds damn good, AJ." Jake was beaming, he had just started a week and a half ago. AJ saw himself in the teen, a young kid just trying to make it through life. Jake's mother worked two jobs, his father was in prison, and his little sister had cystic fibrosis. Wrestling was the one thing Jake had to escape. AJ understood that feeling very well. He was a little older than Jake when he first started wrestling. It was Jack, who had introduced AJ to the sport.

"All right, go on home. I'll see you next week."

"Thanks, AJ." Jake waved and jogged over to the locker room.

AJ grabbed hold of the ropes and pulled himself up. He stared at the ring for a moment and then closed his eyes. His memories started flooding back to him. Jack started him on a basic regiment, saying AJ needed a way to feel like he could do something. At first AJ wasn't sure what that meant, but over time it became clear. Wrestling let him unleash any aggression he he, it was a therapy that no other sport could provide. Jack pushed him and believed in him, when he couldn't do it for himself. His father always told him he'd never amount to anything, and for years he believed it.

"What are you thinking about?" Sasha Banks, his gym manager, assistant trainer, keeper, and shoulder to cry on, asked as she climbed onto the other side of the ring. Her shiny purple dyed hair was combed up into a ponytail and she had on an oversized hoodie. Despite Sasha's small frame, she was one tough cookie in the ring and loved wrestling more than anyone AJ had ever met.

"I got a phone call last night," AJ began and rubbed the back of his neck. "My friend passed away."

Sasha frowned. "Oh, AJ. I'm sorry."

"It's all right. He lived a good life." AJ forced himself to smile.

Sasha ducked through the ropes and walked across the ring. She stood in front of him and stared at him with worry. They had been friends for a long time now, going on five years. They met in Boston, when AJ was looking for a gym. He lived there for about two years before he decided to move back to the south. Sasha followed him soon after. They weren't in love, nor had they been anything more than friends. When he asked her why she came down, Sasha told him that AJ liked running away from good things, so she'd follow him until he was happy. AJ thought he was happy, but Sasha always disagreed with him. Since then, Sasha has been his constant companion.

"I gotta go do some stuff," AJ said, avoiding her eyes.

Sasha nodded. "How long are you going to be gone?"

"A few days, I'll be back by Monday." AJ jumped down from the apron. "Take care of things while I'm gone?"

"I do that even when you're here," Sasha teased with a laugh.

AJ shook his head and lifted his hand as a goodbye. He walked over to the garage doors that were open to a beat up parking lot that was sprouting with a few weeds. Sitting on the dock, AJ saw two of his other trainers taking a lunch break. They were laughing and joking around while eating some cajun shrimp.

"Hey AJ, wanna have a round?" Seth Rollins, one of the hardest workers in the gym, asked before taking a swig of his water.

"Can't, I gotta head out for a bit." AJ walked over to them.

"You coming back later today?" Roman Reigns, a big burly Samoan, asked.

AJ shook his head. "I'll be back next week."

Seth and Roman exchanged looks. AJ never left the gym for longer than a few hours. His whole life was this gym. Occasionally, Seth would joke that AJ shouldn't even have an apartment because he was always at the gym. Without fail for the past two years, AJ was the first to arrive and the last one to leave.

"Is something up?" Roman had one leg hanging off the dock edge and the other scrunched up toward his chest.

"Just some business I need to take care of," AJ replied with a shrug. "Sasha will handle the office stuff, you guys keep an eye on everyone else."

Seth and Roman both nodded as AJ walked down the concrete steps. He made his way across the parking lot, still feeling their questioning eyes on his back. Plucking the keys of his truck out of his back pocket, AJ unlocked the door and climbed inside. He put the key in the ignition and the 97 green Chevy roared to life. It was noon, so he'd be in Kingsland before four o'clock. AJ put the truck in reverse and backed out of the parking lot.

He looked out the passenger side window. Sasha was standing by Seth and Roman now. The three of them waved, and AJ waved back before driving out of the parking lot. His gym would be fine without him. Those three would take good care of it.

* * *

-#-

* * *

Rachel practically shoved Kinsey out the door of Southern Charm, telling her she needed to be home. The truth of the matter was, home wasn't really home anymore. With Lauren at her camp and Nathan only caring about work, Kinsey liked being in her store where she could be distracted. So when she was out of the store and standing in front of her silver Jeep Cherokee, she got in and started driving. It was like she was on autopilot. Her body just drove her across town, but her mind was elsewhere. The town of Kingsland just blurred outside her windows. She had moved away when she was twenty to attend Rhode Island School of Design. That was where she met Nathan, and somehow the pain of losing AJ faded away with him.

Kinsey parked her Jeep outside of a cemetery. She got out of her Jeep and stared through the wrought iron fence that went around the perimeter. Biting her lip, Kinsey stuffed her hands into the back pocket of her jeans and walked to the entrance. She came to this cemetery everyday for three months when AJ left, and then every week for an entire year. For some reason, Kinsey always hoped that he would come back. Of course, he never did.

Her boots clicked on the paved path that cut right through the middle of the cemetery. It was a nice and big cemetery with beautiful shade trees and plush green grass. The groundskeeper did a good job maintaining the area. Kinsey stopped on the seventh row and started walking to the gravestone beneath the mossy oak. It had been a long time since she'd come to his grave…Keith Styles—AJ's younger brother.

Kinsey sighed softly and knelt in front of his grave, reading the dates carved into the gray granite: March 21, 1979 - June 5, 1995. Keith would have been thirty-seven years old, maybe would have had a family and perhaps he would have turned his life around. The truth of the matter was they would never know, since he died when he was sixteen.

"Kinsey Malloy?"

She looked over her shoulder and stood up. The air in her lungs had disappeared as her eyes gazed upon a face she had not intended to see. Her mouth went dry and somehow she was still standing when all she wanted to do was fall down. What was he doing here? Maybe she shouldn't be so surprised. This was what she had wanted twenty-one years ago when she waited for him.

"AJ?" Kinsey managed to get out in a voice barely above a whisper.

He nodded slowly. "Yeah."

In twenty-one years AJ Styles had hardly changed. His hair was longer now, he had a few wrinkles at the corner of his eyes, and he had a beard. Those blue eyes were the same that had enchanted her every night under the Georgia stars, and his lips looked as kissable as they always had. He wasn't supposed to be here, he wasn't supposed to look as good as he did, and he certainly wasn't supposed to remember her. After he left, Kinsey hoped the reason he didn't come back was because he just forgot about her. Yet here he was standing three feet away, remembering her name and saying it like they had never been apart.

"What are you doing here?" Kinsey asked, trying to keep herself from running back to her Jeep and fleeing like a coward.

"I got a call from an attorney, he told me about Jack and something about his will." AJ looked Kinsey's up and down. "You look beautiful."

Her heart skipped a beat and her muscles tensed. "I should go."

AJ looked down at his worn leather boots and then caught Kinsey's eyes. It had been a long time since a man had looked at her like that. "I won't be here long," he said, stuffing his thumbs into the pockets of his dark washed jeans. "After I meet with the attorney tomorrow—"

"Tomorrow? At 10:00am?" Kinsey asked.

"Yeah."

Kinsey nodded. "Me too."

He smiled, it was small and faint, but it was something she never forgot about him. "So I guess we'll see each other tomorrow?"

"I guess so." Kinsey glanced over to her Jeep across the cemetery. "I should really go, I'm running late." It was a terrible lie, but Kinsey's couldn't stand there any longer. She needed to leave before everything she had been ignoring took over her.

"Yeah, okay. It's really good to see you again, Kinsey." AJ stepped aside, to let her pass.

"You too." She brushed her dark hair behind her ear and flitted past him.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note:** Thank you to the guest who commented on my last chapter, I appreciate it! Please let me know what you think so far, update to come next Sunday!

* * *

 **Chapter Three**

Seth knocked on the door of the office where Sasha was working on the computer. It looked like she was working on some accounting stuff. She turned in her chair and smiled at Seth as he came in and sat on AJ's desk. He glanced around the office, it wasn't very big, just enough space for a few filing cabinets, a storage shelf, and the two desks. The wall with the door had a window that overlooked the gym below, and everything else seemed bleak. Seth would have figured Sasha would have added some feminine touches to it, but the most decorative thing was her frilly white throw pillow that she used for back support.

"So what's up with AJ?" Seth asked.

"A friend of his died," Sasha explained, and Seth looked down at the ground. "You know, AJ. He doesn't like talking about his past very much."

"Or at all," Seth corrected with a chuckle. "I don't know, me and Roman were just surprised he would leave this place for longer than half a day."

Sasha stifled a laugh. They had a very good point. If Sasha didn't force AJ to go home every night, he'd probably sleep in the ring. She had to admit, Sasha was worried about him. AJ was thirty-nine years old and he didn't have a family, or even a girlfriend for that matter. When she would ask him about it, he'd joke and say he was just a terminal bachelor. Sasha would leave it at that, but AJ was good-looking, smart, and hardworking. Those were qualities of a good man, a man who deserved to have a family and be happy. He always said his gym and helping the troubled youth in the area made him happy, but it wasn't the type of happiness Sasha meant.

"You okay?" Seth asked, tilting his head.

Sasha snapped from her inner thoughts and smiled up at Seth. She jumped onto her feet and then waved for him to follow her out of the office. "Have you ever seen AJ flirt with anyone?"

Seth, Roman, and AJ went out the first Saturday of each month. They would go get drinks, shoot some pool, or play darts. Sasha had even tagged along a couple of times, which was how she and Seth started getting closer. He came around the gym a couple of months after Sasha and AJ had opened it up. Needless to say Seth stuck around and then brought Roman along. The four of them were the working gears of AJ's gym, but it was AJ who was the real heart of it.

"I don't think AJ is the type to flirt with some random woman."

"You've known him for almost two years and you're telling me he's never come onto a woman?" Sasha leaned on the metal railing and gazed up at Seth, who pursed his lips as he thought.

He shook his head. "Nope, can't say that I have."

"In Boston he kinda had a girl, but it only lasted about six months. Since then he's been single and I've never seen him flirt with a woman or ask a woman on a date or even just for a number." Sasha sighed and started trotting down the stairs with Seth at her heels.

"Is this some convoluted way of you asking me to flirt with you more? Or take you on a date?" Seth asked with a chuckle. They were standing at the bottom of the steps. Sasha looked up at him and smiled brightly. That wasn't her true intention, but they had been dating for five months, and the last date they went on was three weeks ago. He was over due, that was for sure.

"Not really, but now that you mention it." Sasha pushed herself onto her toes and threw her arms around Seth's broad shoulders. His muscled arms wrapped around her waist and then he placed a soft kiss on the crowd of her head. When they pulled apart, Sasha gave him a peck on the lips. "I just think AJ deserves to have someone love him."

"I'll have you know, I love him very, very much. I just didn't know how to tell you," Seth joked.

Sasha rolled her eyes and laughed. "Roman too?"

"Oh yeah, it's a damn good time." Seth pulled Sasha into his powerful chest and squeezed her tight. "Look, when he gets back, Roman and I will take him to some strip clubs or something."

"Nothing says, marry me like a lap dance," Sasha snickered. "But seriously, we should find him someone."

"Roman!" Seth hollered to the burly man, who was spotting for someone over by the benches. When he had his attention, Seth shouted. "We have to make AJ a Tinder account!"

Sasha slapped a hand on her face and began to shake her head. She looked back up and spotted Roman giving Seth a thumbs up. "That isn't what I meant."

"Don't worry, babe," Seth said, giving her ponytail a playful tug. "AJ will find someone when he's good and ready."

Sasha nodded slowly, but she wasn't really sure if Seth was right. Five years was a long time to know someone, and that was exactly how long Sasha had known AJ. In that time AJ had gone on two dates, and had an on and off relationship with some blonde girl, they were essentially fuck buddies though, even though AJ would never call it that.

* * *

-#-

* * *

AJ pulled into the gravel driveway of the Henderson residence. The grass was in need of cutting, there were weeds in the garden, and the paint of the house was faded. It hadn't been maintained in a while, but it was still the first home AJ ever knew. He cut the engine off and sat in the truck, staring out the windshield for what seemed like hours. Kinsey was still here, in Kingsland. His first day back, and there she was at his little brother's grave. When he had drove into town, he decided he should pay a visit to his little brother. It had been, after all, twenty-one years since he'd been around.

Kinsey hadn't changed at all. She was older, but her hair was still long and dark, her eyes were that same glittering hazel, and she still had that nervous tick—the one where she'd flick her thumb against her forefinger. It was such a natural instinct to her, she didn't even notice she did it. AJ never missed it though, he always noticed that about her. He noticed the crease between her eyebrows when she was cross with him, and he noticed the smell of her shampoo when she used to lean against him.

AJ pressed his palms together and then rested his forehead against his thumbs. He knew it was a possibility to run into her again, he thought about it the whole night and then on the drive up. When he was driving through town, he saw flashes of their younger selves. She was in her pale pink sun dress and strappy sandals, her hair in loose curls, and a smile so bright it could compete with the sun. Her laugh was like a toxin that drove him completely insane, and when he saw Kinsey at the cemetery he craved it.

How did he leave her before? Such a beautiful young woman who loved him and brought out the best in him. She believed in him, supported him, and he just left her behind in a mess of tail lights and dust. AJ didn't think she would ever forgive him for that, but he probably didn't deserve to be forgiven. He unbuckled his seatbelt and climbed out of his truck, his boots crunching on the gravel as he walked toward the separate garage where Jack kept his old rust bucket of a truck and his wife's convertible. They spent many evenings in their working on that car with Kinsey sitting on the workbench sketching it out.

AJ stopped by a large clay flower pot and titled it to grab the spare key that Jack had hid under there. He got up to the padlock and then twisted the key to unlock it. Pulling the lock off, AJ flipped the latch and rolled the doors apart. A stuffy wave of heat came out of the garage barn that was layered with a thick layer of dust. AJ walked in between the two parked vehicles that were covered by heavy canvas. Grabbing the edge of the canvas covering the convertible, AJ flung it up revealing the 1970 yellow mustang convertible.

"Hello, old friend." AJ smiled as he walked around to pull the canvas off all the way. Plumes of dust puffed up into the air, which he waved away. It looked like Jack hadn't touched it in a while, he probably got to old to move around and take care of it like he used too.

For some reason, AJ couldn't bring himself to leave on Sunday. He would need more time to get Jack's place all cleaned up. There was no way he could leave it like this. Jack put his heart and soul into taking care of his property. It was something that AJ learned from him.

Reaching into his pocket, AJ pulled out his cellphone and called Sasha. It rang a couple of times before she finally picked up. "Hey, it's me."

"Hey, how's it going? Did you make it there in one piece?" Sasha asked. He could hear the whirring of the gym fans in the background along with the sound of bodies being slammed onto the wrestling ring.

"Yeah, I made it here fine. Listen, I might be here a little while longer than I planned. My friend's place, well it's a mess and I can't leave it like this." AJ walked outside of the garage barn and paced out front.

"Take your time, AJ. I promise I'll keep Seth and Roman in line and if anything comes up I'll let you know. But don't worry, we can handle you being gone for a while. Do what you have to do, all right." Sasha was never the type to sugarcoat things, she just said exactly what she thought people needed to hear—even if it was cruel. "It's okay if you want to stay there for a while."

AJ smiled. "Thanks, Sasha."

"No problem, call me if you need anything."

"Will do, take care of my gym."

"Always do."

He hung up and slipped the phone into the back pocket of his jeans. There was a lot of work to do if he wanted to be home before next weekend. Georgia summers were unbelievably hot, but when the night fell there was no prettier sky. He had planned on checking into a hotel, but he knew Jack would rather he'd stay here.

* * *

-#-

* * *

Kinsey swirled the soapy water in the pot slowly as she gazed out the window overlooking the backyard. Her mind was somewhere else. It wasn't a dream when AJ Styles approached her at his brother's gravestone, it was 100 percent real. She replayed the sound of AJ saying her name. The sound of the front door coming open and slamming shut, followed by the jingle of Marty's collar snapped Kinsey from her reverie.

"Kinsey!" Nathan shouted from the door. His keys jingled as he threw them into the glass bowl on the hallway end table. "I have some news."

Kinsey stepped away from the sink and began to dry her hands on a nearby dish towel. Nathan came into the room, hair slicked back, dark blue jacket folded over his arm, and for once their was a light in his light brown eyes. "What's your news?"

"Me and three of the guys from the office have been invited to a golf tournament that's happening next week. It starts Saturday and goes on until next Saturday. I'll be be going, so can you pack for me?" Nathan asked, placing his folded jacket on the back of one of the barstools.

Kinsey hated to admit it, but she was disappointed. He was more excited to go away for a week than to be at home with her and their daughter. She kept herself together though, faked a smile and nodded to him. "That's great. I'll pack for you when I get back from the attorney's office tomorrow."

"Oh that's right, that guy died. All right, as long as it's ready to go by Saturday morning, then that's fine." Nathan went to the fridge and then pulled out a bottle of beer. He drank at least three a night, and sometimes a couple glasses of wine. It was a routine, and had been for the last eight years. His life was all that mattered not, not their life.

"Jack," Kinsey said. "His name was Jack."

"Okay," Nathan replied with a shrug. "I'm gonna shower, is dinner ready?"

"I'll make you a plate," Kinsey said with a forced smile.

Nathan nodded and then left the kitchen without a single care in the world. Once Kinsey was sure he was upstairs, she fell back against the sink and stared up at the ceiling. This wasn't how her life was supposed to be. She pushed away from the sink and then made her way to the backdoor.

Kinsey sat down on the edge of the porch, and Marty sat down beside her. She looked at her yellow, scruffy mutt and wrapped her arms around him. And suddenly, she was crying.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

- _Twenty-One Years Ago_ -

It was the summer before AJ's senior year of high school, he wasn't sure how he had managed to pass his junior year. Not that he was a dumb kid, but he spent a lot of time save his brother and getting his drunk of a father home every night. It was the classic bittersweet tale that everyone knew, but didn't really understand. His father slapped him and his brother around sometimes, the occasional punch if they were being 'disrespectful'. AJ could handle all of that, what he hated was that his father was using his little brother to sell drugs.

There were good times with his father, but those were few and far between. The few times that were good though, AJ held onto and reminded himself that there was good inside of his old man. AJ had a gut feeling tonight was going to be a bad one. It was the second Friday of the month, so his father would start drinking early as AJ's uncle would be home from working on the oil rig. When those two started drinking together they would—without fail—get into some sort of pissing match.

Standing at the start of the dirt driveway that led up to the ratty trailer they lived in, AJ could already hear his father and his uncle yammering away. They were probably playing darts or worst, archery with the crossbow. Once they nearly hit him when he walked out of the trailer. The two of them started brawling for some stupid reason and the arrow fired right at AJ, piercing the door frame that was level with his eyes. He almost wanted to turn around, sleep somewhere else. But for whatever reason his feet just started walking like there was nothing to fear.

"There he is! AJ! Get over here, boy." His father waved him over, his speech wasn't slurred…yet. There was a Cuban cigar between his lips, and he was in a sweaty, grimy muscle shirt and stained jeans.

"Where the hell you been?" AJ's uncle, Tommy, asked before taking a swig from his beer bottle.

AJ shrugged his shoulders.

"He asked you a question, you damn well better answer." His father waved a finger at him and narrowed his eyes. AJ and his father looked the same, his father was just older. In fact, his blue eyes were the only thing he got from his mother. "Now, try that again."

AJ licked his chapped lips. "I grabbed a bite to eat." It was the truth, he did go get some food after school and just drug his feet on his way home. Of course, home was a bit of a stretch. That shit hole of a trailer was never a home, nor would it ever be one.

"Our food not good enough?" his father asked, puffing on his cigar.

AJ stayed silent, there was no good answer.

"Leave him alone, Frank," Tommy said when he sat down in a rusty lawn chair. "Come on, AJ. Come play some darts."

"Thanks, Uncle Tommy." AJ faked a smile, hoping to placate them before trying to get out of spending an evening with them. The two of them would be out there until around three in the morning. "But, I have to go help a friend early tomorrow."

"And? It's only seven, just sit for a bit." Tommy patted the empty chair next to him.

AJ's father grabbed his shoulder and pushed him to the chair. Nodding slowly, AJ took a seat and gripped the plastic arms of the chair. If he stuck around for at least twenty-minutes maybe they would get drunk enough for him to quietly leave. His uncle and father started playing a game of darts, which AJ was lucky enough to be avoiding.

"So who's this friend you're helping?" Tommy asked as he took aim with his dart.

"Friend from school." AJ wanted to keep it short and simple. The less he said the better, especially since he was lying.

"And what can you help this friend with?" AJ's dad took a swig of his beer and eyed his son.

AJ wracked his brain for something believable. "Painting his house."

Tommy looked convinced, but his dad didn't seem to be buying it. AJ didn't have many friends, he had two guys that played on the football team with him. It wasn't that he was bad at making friends, AJ just didn't want to make any. Not when he lived with an alcoholic of a father and a drug selling little brother. He had more than enough on his plate with worrying about those two.

"You lying, boy?" Frank asked, shaking his half empty beer bottle at AJ.

"No." AJ shook his head quickly.

"No, what?"

"No, sir." AJ looked away when his father glared at him.

Tommy had turned his full attention to them. "Frank."

His uncle may have been an alcoholic, but he still had enough sense to keep from hitting anyone. It was a different story with Frank. There were times he'd beat up both AJ and his little brother. Most of the time AJ would take the brunt of it to protect his little brother. It had been a while since Frank had done more than slap them around. About four months ago he had given AJ a busted lip and black eye. He had talked back, which was a big sin according to Frank. Tommy would stop him sometimes though, but here lately he just let it happen.

"Stand up." AJ's dad waved for him to get off the chair.

"Come on, dad," AJ said as he got up cautiously. "Let's just play some darts."

His dad snickered and then started to bob his head. "Now I know you're lying."

"No, sir, I—"

CRUNCH!

AJ toppled over to the ground and grasped his stinging cheek. A slow trickle of thick dark blood slide out of his nose and onto the tips of his fingers. His eyes watered from the brutal impact of his father's knuckles. Frank reached down, grabbing a fistful of AJ's shirt and yanked him to his feet.

"Frank!" Tommy shouted, but AJ's dad didn't hesitate as he clocked AJ again, letting him fall onto his hands and knees.

"Lie to me again, boy and I'll rip your goddamn tongue out." Frank kicked AJ to the ground and then spit at him.

A searing pain throbbed in AJ's cheek. He trembled on his hands and knees, trying to crawl away. His father was standing behind him, chuckling as if he was proud he'd caused his son great pain.

AJ managed to get to his feet. He wiped the blood from his nose away with the back of his hand. The taste of copper filled AJ's mouth. Spitting the blood from his mouth, AJ looked to his father. Not a single bit of remorse, but he didn't expect his father to be sorry.

"Did you hear me?" Frank asked.

AJ nodded. "Yes, sir."

Frank laughed. "Good, now get your ass inside the house."

He didn't need to be told twice. AJ walked to the trailer they lived in. It was a white trailer that was old and falling apart. At one time it might have been a decent place, but now it might as well been a shack. AJ rushed up the steps of the front porch and then entered the trailer.

The living room of the trailer smelled like an ashtray and looked like a tornado had gone through it. AJ stumbled across the room and down the hallway to the bathroom he and his younger brother shared. He flicked on the lights and stared at himself in the mirror.

His cheek was red and swelling, it would become a nasty bruise by tomorrow. AJ shook his head and then turned on the water faucet. Cupping his hands beneath the running water, AJ splashed the water onto his face. The water became a pale red from the blood he washed away. Grabbing a towel, AJ wiped his face carefully, grimacing at his tender cheek and eyebrow. A small gash appeared at the corner of his eye and was bleeding. He applied pressure to the found and cursed at the tenderness.

AJ had to leave. He couldn't stay in this trailer with his drunken father, who would surely beat him around some more before the end of the evening. There was no time to waste, so AJ left the bathroom and went into his bedroom. He grabbed his backpack from under his bed and started stuffing it with some extra clothes. AJ slipped his arms through the sleeves of his jacket and then slung his backpack onto his shoulders.

* * *

-#-

* * *

- _Present Day_ -

AJ pulled his truck into an empty parking spot across the street from Andrew Whitfield's office. He stared at the office and read the golden letters on the front window. Kingsland had hardly changed-southern charm still seeped through the downtown area. The trees were tall and covered in dark green leaves, the sidewalks were clean, the streets were freshly painted, and AJ felt like he'd been transported to a different time.

When he got out of the truck, AJ spotted Kinsey through his mirror. He turned around, watching her walk for Andrew's office. Her hair was brushed into a sleek ponytail, her dress was flattering on her slender figure, and her heels clicked on the sidewalk.

"Kinsey!" AJ hollered as he jogged across the street.

She stopped, but kept her back to him. It was like she was scared to turn around, but not brave enough to keep walking. AJ wasn't sure if he took pride in that. He cleared his throat and carefully approached her. When he was a couple of steps away, AJ stopped. Kinsey's shoulders raised and then lowered slowly as she turned around.

"Hello, AJ." She put on a smile, but it was a ruse. He knew her genuine smiles from her fake ones better than anyone. They may not have talked in a long time, but the smile of someone never changed.

"Hi," he said softly. "Are you all right?"

"Of course," Kinsey waved the matter off. "We should go inside, it's almost 10:00."

"It's 9:45."

Kinsey licked her lips. "You know me, I like to be early."

AJ nodded. "Yeah you did."

She turned on her heels and walked straight to the front door of Andrew's office. Kinsey didn't wait and waltzed right inside while AJ remained. He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. It didn't used to be so hard to talk to her, but now it felt impossible.

AJ entered the office and smiled at the receptionist at the front desk. She was a young woman with red hair and thick lashes. Kinsey was standing up by the desk, but avoided looking in AJ's direction. The amount of awkward tension in the room could be cut with a knife. He didn't think it would be this bad, in fact, it was worse than what he had anticipated.

"You guys can come on back," the receptionist said as she came around her desk. "He's ready."

Kinsey followed the redhead, and AJ went after her. He caught the scent of her coconut shampoo and smiled weakly. They reached the end of the hallway, and the receptionist opened the Andrew's office door.

"Good morning, Mrs. Tate. And Mr. Styles." Andrew stood up from his desk.

AJ furrowed his brows and looked to Kinsey. Kinsey Tate...so she had been married. He hadn't noticed a ring on her finger. It didn't matter though, Kinsey would never take him back.

The scent of robust black coffee filled the room as the redheaded receptionist came back in and placed a coffee for each of them on the desk. She excused herself and closed the door. Andrew smiled and gestured for AJ and Kinsey to take a seat on the cushioned chair in front of his desk. When they both were seated, Andrew put on his reading glasses and placed a manila folder in front of himself.

"Before we begin, Jack asked for me to tell you both that he is sorry for any inconvenience this may cause either of you. And he also said, 'But I'm not that sorry because the two of you were quite the inconvenience for me, but I mean that in an endearing way.' His words." Andrew clasped his hands together and gave a kind smile.

AJ and Kinsey both chuckled lightly, that was just like Jack.

"He has a letter for each of you and would like for you to read them. He wrote them a couple of weeks prior to his death," Andrew explained as he opened up the folder and pulled out two envelopes that were addressed to AJ and Kinsey. He handed the letters over and then both began to open them, but Andrew stopped them. "He would prefer for you both to read them on your own."

AJ and Kinsey both stopped at the same time and placed the envelopes down on their laps. Andrew nodded and thanked them both before he turned around in his chair and picked up a beautifully polished wooden box.

"These are Jack's ashes, and he request that the two of you spread them together at his property out in Woodbine." Andrew pushed the box forward.

AJ glanced at Kinsey, who bit her lip and nodded. Jack's property in Woodbine had many memories for the two of them. It was also a special place to Jack and his wife-the same place Jack had spread his wife's own ashes.

"As for his property here in Kingsland, he says that the two of you are welcome to take whatever you wish from his home. Anything else he would like it to be liquidated and all proceeds are to go to the Kingsland Pediatric Rehabilitation Center."

Kinsey lifted her head a little higher and then closed her eyes for a moment. AJ furrowed his brows wondering if something had happened.

"Mr. Styles." Andrew opened up his desk drawer and pulled out the key. "At the Woodbine property there is a shed, this key will open the lock. Jack left a gift inside for you and insisted that you take it."

AJ took the key from Andrew and then put it on the key ring with his truck key, apartment key, and gym key. He wondered what Jack would have left for him. They hadn't seen each other in years.

"Jack had one final request for both of you." Andrew pulled out a piece of paper from the folder. "AJ and Kinsey, I want no funeral, no reception, and absolutely no celebration of my life or passing. Let me be at peace."

Kinsey chuckled. "Sounds just like him."

"It really does," AJ agreed, looking her way.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

Kinsey fled the attorney's office like it was on fire. AJ chased after her, calling her name as she rushed down the sidewalk. The third time he called her name, Kinsey finally stopped and then slowly turned around. Her eyes locked with AJ's. They were both silent, but AJ could see it in her eyes. She wanted to talk to him, she needed to tell him something, but she was fighting it.

"I didn't realize you were married," AJ started, hoping it wouldn't scare her away. He needed to tread carefully. "I'm glad."

Kinsey forced a smile and nodded slowly. "17 years."

That wasn't very long after he had left. A sadness filled his heart and his stomach churned. She continued on with her life, but he should have expected that. Kinsey had such big dreams and plans to her life. At one time, AJ had hoped to be apart of it, but that all faded away when he left her.

"Do you have any kids?"

Kinsey brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, while cradling Jack's ashes in her other arm. "Yes, two."

AJ smiled. "That's great, Kins."

"AJ," Kinsey sighed. "Let's not do this. We should keep this professional. We aren't friends, we are just two people who lost someone and are fulfilling his last wishes."

"Yeah, no, you're right." AJ shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans. "So how would you like to do this?"

"How about you go to his place today and get whatever you want and then I will go tomorrow morning and after lunch we can meet at his place in Woodbine?"

AJ wanted to spend more time with her, but he knew that pushing the matter wouldn't help. "Okay, that sounds good. I was planning on cleaning up his place before I left town. The garden and barn are a mess and I didn't-"

"Want to leave it like that?" Kinsey finished with a small smile. "That's just like you."

AJ lit up. She was actually making a bit of a conversation with him. It was nice. "Are you sure you don't want to grab a coffee?"

Kinsey looked like she was considering the idea, but then she shook her head and cleared her throat. "I better not. I'll see you tomorrow, AJ." She walked off without giving him even a second to reply.

When Kinsey was across the street, AJ shook his head. "I'm so sorry, Kinsey."

He hated what he did, how he just left her without a single word. Now that he'd come back, the cold shoulder was truly all her deserved. Kinsey had been so good to him, so kind when they were teenagers. He owed her a great deal, she saved him in more ways than he thought he needed.

* * *

-#-

* * *

- _Twenty-One Years Ago-_

AJ left his home not long after his father and uncle had passed out. He wandered a few miles down the road and found a nice garden with some outdoor furniture. It wasn't the most comfortable thing to sleep on, but he really had nowhere else to go. He used his backpack as a pillow and dozed off in the midsummer Georgia heat.

Something poked AJ in the ribs. He groaned and swatted at it, not ready to wake just yet. The object poked him harder this time. Opening his eyes, AJ jumped at the sight of a pretty young girl with a Louisville Slugger ready to swing at his head. He scrambled back and fell from the lawn furniture.

"Wait! Wait!" AJ begged as she glared at him.

"Who are you? And what are you doing in Mr. Henderson's garden?" She didn't lower her weapon.

"My name's AJ," he explained, holding his hands up in surrender. "I needed a place to sleep is all. I'll be on my way, if you could just put that down."

There was a fire in her eyes like she were saying 'like hell I'm putting it down'. She had a crease in between her brows and a snarl on her glossy lips. While it probably wasn't the best thought to have, AJ thought she was absolutely stunning. Her hair was in soft waves, her skin was flawless, and her figure was slender and soft. He recognized her, she went to his school and they were in the same grade. They shared no classes or friends, but he remembered seeing her multiple times around campus.

"AJ...you're the wide receiver, aren't you?" She lowered the bat and placed a hand on her hip.

He nodded. "Yeah, that's me."

"So why are you in Mr. Henderson's garden?"

"I could ask you the same thing," AJ replied with a smirk. "Friendly neighborhood watch?"

"Well, I asked first." She narrowed her eyes. "You look like you were in a fight."

AJ sighed. It wouldn't be the first bruise or busted lip he'd ever received from his father. He didn't want to tell her the truth, so he made up a lie. "Yeah, me and the guys got into it. No big deal."

"Maybe you should say that after you look in the mirror." She shook her head and then smiled weakly. "I'm Kinsey Malloy."

"Nice to meet you," AJ said with a single nod.

The sound of a squeaking wheel caught both their attention. Coming down the garden trail with a worn red wheelbarrow was Jack Henderson. He was in faded denim overalls, a tattered up straw hat, and had leathery wrinkled skin. When his eyes fell upon the two of them, Jack raised a bushy eyebrow and put his wheelbarrow down. Jutting from his pockets were dirty garden gloves and a red handkerchief.

"Keeping the pests at bay, Miss Kinsey?" Jack asked with a chuckle.

"Good morning, Mr. Henderson." Kinsey smiled brightly. She had a wonderful smile, one with a lot of heart and shine. "AJ here slept in your garden all night, I was just about to tell him he needs to pay his dues."

AJ furrowed his brows. "Pay my dues?"

"You can't just sleep on someone else's property without permission, or some sort of payment. Don't you have any manners?" Kinsey pointed the bat at AJ again, causing him to sheepishly step just out of her reach. "There's plenty of work to be done."

"You're Frank Styles boy, ain't ya?" Jack asked, eyeing AJ curiously.

"Yes, sir I am."

"I'm sorry."

AJ titled his head. "I am, sir."

"No, I heard you." Jack waved it off and grabbed his wheelbarrow handles. "I'm just sorry."

Most people didn't react like that, in fact, they usually remained silent. It was the typical response to recieve when people found out you were the son of a drunk, drug selling, gun-toting, asshole like Frank Styles. AJ had become used to the sympathetic stares and head bobs. He got them all the time.

"If you help out for the morning, I'll see that you have a plate ready for lunch." Jack continued on to the back of the garden.

"Thank you," AJ said, but Jack didn't say anything, nor did he look back. He heard Kinsey clear her throat in a dramatic way and turned to face her. "How can I help?"

"How much do you know about beekeeping?" Kinsey beamed.

* * *

-#-

* * *

 _-Present Day-_

Kinsey sat on the tree swing in the backyard, something she and Nathan had put together for Lauren's fifth birthday. Her bare feet were planted on the plush green grass. Her hands traced her name on the envelope, containing the letter from Jack. It was probably a message from beyond the grave. She closed her eyes and shook her head before flipping the envelope over to open it.

In Jack's cursive writing the letter read:

 _My dear Kinsey,_

 _The first time we met was at the Market Days in downtown. You were the first person I had spoken to in three months after my wife had passed away. You taught me how to breathe again and for that I will always be grateful. A lot of years have passed since that day we met. You were the one who brought AJ into our lives, and though you may not realize it you saved his life too._

 _Kinsey, you have suffered a lot over the years. And I hate that we drifted apart after you left Kingsland, but you brought back two very beautiful children. You allowed me to be a grandfather when I thought I'd never have the chance. After the accident, you were stronger than anyone I ever met. You have been holding yourself together with tape and glue. But you don't have to do that._

 _I know you are still hurt after AJ left, but he was and will always be your first love. Those wounds have never healed, Kinsey, even to this very day those scars run very deep. Words cannot express how sorry I am for the way things have turned out with him, with your family, and with your children. Tape and glue won't be good enough, Kinsey._

 _If you are reading this, I've already died and my last wish for you is to find the good in your life again. I want you to be happy, and you deserve to be happy. Live the life you want, Kinsey. You don't have to pretend anymore. Don't let your hurt and anger at AJ keep you away from the life that you were meant to have._

 _All my love,_

 _Jack_

Kinsey's tears dropped onto the page, smearing the black ink. She cleared her throat and then quickly wiped away her tears. After Ethan's accident, she stopped talking to Jack. She blamed him for what happened to Ethan, even though he had absolutely nothing to do with it. They were going to his house when it happened. It happened right in front of her. Ethan was tossing a baseball up in the air. He loved going to play with Jack, it was his favorite thing to do.

Kinsey folded up the letter. She stared up at the tree branches and soaked up the evening sunlight. Jack was right, tape and glue wouldn't be enough. It hadn't been for many years now. After Ethan died everything else in her life seemed to slowly die as well.


End file.
